"There was white-carpet Muni service," quipped Marco DiTano, owner of the Mondo Caffe, who tried unsuccessfully to reach the toll-free number on Kaiser's billing statements seven times before getting through to Kaiser's medical center on Geary Boulevard.

By the time Kaiser sent a truck down to collect the dumped bills, DiTano, his window washer and others at the bagel shop next door had corralled most of the paper.

One of four boxes of September 12 statements being delivered to the Snyder- Newell direct mail firm in South San Francisco somehow fell off a Tricor delivery truck.

"We've never heard of this happening before," said Kaiser spokeswoman Leah Blum. "We certainly don't want our members' names and addresses all over the street."

The bills also contained members' account and group health plan numbers but no other personal information.

"I don't think any damage was done," said Mahriah Blackwolf, whose bill ended up in the street. Still the San Anselmo body therapist said she felt "a little jinxed."

"Last month, my check to Kaiser was returned because it got torn up in the mail," she noted.

Kaiser is likely to rerun many of the bills, and Blum said members who do not get their statements on time will get the September 30 due date extended.